


extensions and delays

by echo_logist



Series: /ˈfiɡyər/ [1]
Category: The Queen's Gambit (TV)
Genre: F/M, Tags Are Hard, no you cannot convince me otherwise, they are soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:49:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28090434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echo_logist/pseuds/echo_logist
Summary: Beth returns from her extended trip from Russia and delays her visit to a certain cowboy.~ Inspired by this is me trying by Taylor Swift
Relationships: Beth Harmon/Benny Watts
Series: /ˈfiɡyər/ [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2099682
Comments: 3
Kudos: 160





	extensions and delays

**Author's Note:**

> I got obsessed with this pairing after finally watching Queen's Gambit.  
> Their chemistry onscreen just totally jumps out but what's more is the characters of Beth and Benny just totally belong together.  
> I'm convinced they're soulmates and no one can change my mind haha.
> 
> I was listening (yet again) to Taylor Swift's amazing of an album, Folklore, and her song this is me trying just screamed Beth and Benny. So yeah, this was inspired by that, coupled with me procrastinating a project I should be working on.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Beth had asked Jolene to pick her up at the airport after a week of extension in Russia.  
Her companion-slash-guard had finally given up on convincing her to follow her schedule after the 2nd day, and decided to fly back to USA alone to report to the Federation.  
Thankfully, Jolene - her sister as she liked to call her, immediately agreed.

"Hey, cracker," Jolene greeted with her arms outstretched, "had fun beating the Soviets?"  
Beth smiled and returned the hug, "thank you for picking me up."

They walked back to Jolene's car with Beth revisiting her exciting week of playing chess with random strangers on the streets of Russia.  
After she excused herself from the car ride back to her hotel and played chess with an old man who reminded her so much of Mr. Shaibel, she found her love for the game deepen.  
It reminded her of the time when she played because she was curious; still trying to figure out the rules, the strategies.  
It reminded her of the time when she beat Mr. Shaibel for the first time.  
It reminded her of why she fell in love with chess in the first place, not with winning per se (although Beth wouldn't be Beth if she said she didn't like winning) but with the game itself.

Jolene smiled all throughout her recollection. She also made jokes with how much time Beth actually spent in the basement of their old orphanage.

"I actually had to wonder if you were actually downing pills whenever you skip." she confessed, "On second thought, you actually did that too."

* * *

Beth didn't notice the lights on her living room were all open when she stepped out of Jolene's car, she was too busy dragging her 2nd luggage - which she bought because of all the shopping she did, to look up. So when she opened the front door of her blue house, she was caught surprised by the presence of her friends.

"There she is!" Mike exclaimed, with Matt following up with "The world champion herself!"

Thankfully, Beth quickly recovered and returned the hug of the twins.  
"Wow," was all she had to say in between her smiles and thank yous.  
She turned to Jolene who was smiling from ear to ear, "What? I had to tell your chess friends of your return."

Harry was there too and awkwardly gave her a side hug.  
"Congratulations, Beth. Never doubted you for a second."

With her luggage left by the foot of her stairs, she joined her friends for the surprise dinner they prepared, which thankfully didn't only consist of take-out pizza (although there was too). Jolene, and Harry she suspects, bless them, had skipped on buying beer for the night and settled for sodas.

When dinner was over, they all stayed sitted and recalled the amazing games she played, with the twins leading the conversation.  
At one point, Jolene had to excuse herself to smoke. She would have smoked in the room but her real excuse was to take a break from all the kings, queens, rooks, and knights.  
After a while, Beth followed her out on the porch.

"Too much chess talk for the day?" Beth started as she sat beside her on the stairs. Jolene hummed in agreement.  
She offered her a stick and they sat there in silence accompanied only by their inhales and exhales, and the smoke.

"He said he was busy but wanted to offer you his congratulations." Jolene begins, which caught Beth a bit off guard.  
She stayed silent for a full minute before confessing, "I was planning on a straight flight to New York but backed out."

"Why?" Jolene pushed.  
"I had to pay for another hotel there even though I have a house here."  
Jolene snorted loudly and lightly pushed her shoulder. "If I have your winnings, I'll be staying at hotels for the next 10 years."

They returned back inside after sharing another stick and found the boys replaying her game with Borgov, with the board Harry brought, in the living room.  
They were discussing the effectiveness of her defense, which she strategized on her own, after Borgov made a different move from their predictions.

Jolene clapped her hands loudly to get their attention, "Alright boys, the world champion needs her rest. Her amazing quick mind can be discussed tomorrow."  
They all shuffled outside after saying another round of congratulations, we're so proud of yous, and good nights.

Jolene woke up to the smell of eggs and coffee. The luggage, still at the bottom of the stairs, didn't go unnoticed when she finally came down.

"Eggs huh? Didn't you get sick of that stuff after living off of it in Methuen?"  
Beth turned smiling wistfully, "became a habit."

They spent the rest of the morning just lazying around. Jolene has to drive back to her place by late afternoon, so they decided to just stay in.

"You could stay for another night, drive back tomorrow morning." Beth offered when they were outside her porch just people watching.  
"I didn't think you would still be here tomorrow morning." Jolene replied with knowing eyes, to which Beth returned with a confused look.   
" _The luggage_ , cracker," Jolene simply answered, "still waiting to be unpacked or to be dragged back outside."  
Beth looked out and smiled to herself, _thank Jolene_.

* * *

Benny had made the first move.  
He called her, probably the most expensive call he had ever made, despite him telling her to never contact him again.  
Despite her disappointing him.  
Despite her dismissal, or ignoring really, of his offers.

He contacted everyone and let them crash in his prison-like apartment just so they could strategize and help her when the time comes. Thankfully it did come, or she wouldn't be able to hear him say " _beat him_ " in the most Benny Watts way.

During her excursion, while she played chess with old men along the streets of Russia, she couldn't help but think of him.  
She imagined him during his trip to the very country. Did he come to the same park and played with them?  
She thinks he did and that he enjoyed it very much, just like she did.

When she went shopping on the 3rd day, she passed by a store selling knives. It didn't occur to her that she entered and was already admiring one of the pieces on display. Her thought process was distracted when a young man approached her and greeted her in Russian. He asked her if she was looking for anything in particular and when she was about to reply not really, she stopped herself and told him that she was looking for a knife with a 6-inch blade with a gold handle.

Beth got offered a lot of variations of what she said but ended up confessing not really knowing anything about knives; that she was just actually looking to buy as a gift. That conversation went from technicalities of the handles and blades to the personal preference of the one she was planning on gifting. She hadn't talked about Benny to another person for so long, she felt she was rambling by the end of it. In the end, she did get him something.

A 6-inch knife with a plain dark brown leather as a handle and a silver bolster. She decided it would be a jab to his ego. He didn't need anymore gold or anything fancy really. Besides, it would pair nicely with his rings and necklaces.

* * *

The knife is sitting comfortably inside her old luggage, along with the clothes she brought to Russia.  
The luggage sits comfortably at the foot of her stairs, conveniently near the front door.

When she finally waved goodbye to Jolene, she turned and grabbed the luggage and locked her front door.

"You said you were busy." Beth said as a greeting when Benny, shirtless and wearing his floral robe, finally opened his door.

The surprise from his face was immediately transformed into a smirk, "This humbles me, the world champion herself personally visits dear ol' Benny Watts."


End file.
